An update the on the casting of the live-action Last Airbender movie, which, when last we checked, featured an all white principal cast, except for one South Asian guy who happens to be playing the primary villain. Here are two recent casting notices, looking for different types:

Hello!

We are casting extras and day players local to Philadelphia for the feature film ,"The Last Airbender", directed, written, and produced by M. NIght Shyamalan. Please spread the news to members of your organization!

Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the PARAMOUNT PICTURES & NICKELODEON MOVIES live action film is set in a world where human civilization is divided into four nations: Air, Water, Earth, and Fire. The film's hero, the reluctant young Aang, is the "Last Airbender." Aided by a protective teenage Waterbender named Katara, and her bull-headed brother, Sokka, Aang proceeds on a perilous journey to restore balance to their war-torn world.

Currently, we are looking for:

(Boys & Girls 6-16 Yrs. Old and Men & Women 18-65 Yrs. Old) of the following ethnic backgrounds:

Full Korean Descent
Full Chinese Descent
Full Taiwanese Descent
Full Vietnamese Descent
Full Mongolian Descent

If interested, send email us at: lastairbendercasting@gmail.com

Please include your ethnic background (in the subject line), contact information, and a photo.

Thank you!
--
The Last Airbender Casting
lastairbendercasting@gmail.com
Information Hotline: (215) 574-7878

So if you're of full (what -- no biracial actors allowed?) Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and Mongolian descent, you can be a background extra populating the magical world of The Last Airbender... but you can't play Aang, Katara, Sokka or any of the other main characters. How ridiculous is going to be to see these tan white kids with funny haircuts hanging around their so-called kingdom while everyone else around them is Asian?

But wait! According to Heery Casting, there are, in fact, principal roles for "Chinese and Korean actors"... specifically, men ages 30-60. So they're obviously looking for Asian men -- but for what kind of roles? Hre are the details:

The Last Airbender casting

We are looking for Chinese and Korean actors for principal roles in M. Night Shyamalan's new film, "The Last Airbender."

"The Last Airbender" is a new Paramount Pictures production, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film is an epic adventure story based on the Nickelodeon TV series, "Avatar: The Last Airbender."

Needed are Chinese and Korean actors- MEN ONLY, age 30-60, SAG or non-Union.
All roles are paid under a SAG contract.

Shooting begins in Philadelphia in April 2009.

If interested please e-mail a picture/resume to: airbendercasting@gmail.com

NO Phone calls please.

Note, it does say these are principal roles. I'm still not very familiar with all the characters of the animated series, but I'm told by people in the know that the only principal male adult characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender are also antagonist roles, like the villainous Admiral Zhao.

That's right, baby. Asian bad guys! It really wouldn't be a complete Hollywood Bastardization of Asian Culture without them, right? Does this mean we're going to see a horde of villainous Asian men chasing after a bunch of pretty white kids dressed as Asians? Awesome! I can't wait.